Four Home Run Effort Propels No. 1 Spartans to Run-Rule Series Sweep Over Montevallo
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
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1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 9 | 1 |
TAMPA, Fla. — The No. 1 University of Tampa Spartans (5–0) closed a commanding opening weekend with an 11–1 victory over Montevallo on Sunday, finishing a three‑game sweep of the Falcons in its first home series of 2026 for the defending national champions after wins on Friday and Saturday. Tampa methodically built its lead and then put the game away with a five‑run seventh to polish off the sweep over an NCAA Division II South Region opponent.
Tampa opened the scoring in the first when Jordan Evans walked, stole second, and came home on a Jhoander Irigoyen sacrifice fly for a 1–0 edge.
The Spartans added two in the third as Jesse Ponce was hit by a pitch, Brayden Woodburn doubled to right‑center, and Jake Books punched a two‑run single through the right side to make it 3–0.
Montevallo got its lone run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly after an error extended the inning, trimming the margin to 3–1, but A.J. Graham answered in the bottom half with a 356‑foot solo homer to left for 4–1.
In the fifth, Irigoyen delivered a two‑run single up the middle, stretching the advantage to 6–1.
The Spartans erupted in the seventh with five runs to reach the final margin. Woodburn launched his first homer of the season, a 384‑foot drive to left‑center. After a run scored on an infield single and throwing error, Javi Soto crushed a two‑run shot to left‑center, and Graham immediately followed with a 390‑foot solo blast, his second homer of the day, to cap the inning and the scoring at 11–1.
Graham finished 2‑for‑3 with two home runs and three RBI, Soto added a homer and two RBI, Woodburn reached base four times with two hits, three runs scored and a homer, and Irigoyen drove in three. In all, Tampa collected nine hits and consistently cashed in with traffic on the bases.
On the mound, right‑hander B.J. Bailey (1–0) worked 5.0 innings without an earned run, scattering four hits with four strikeouts, and Oscar Hernandez closed with 2.0 scoreless frames to finish the combined four‑hitter.
Up Next
Tampa hosts Post University for another three-day, three-game series, beginning Friday at 6 p.m., at the Tampa BAseball Field. The series will also include games on Saturday at 3 p.m., and Sunday at noon.